MPR News Podcast Will Cover the Philando Castile Trial

 May 22, 2017--- St. Paul, Minn. --- With the trial of police officer Jeronimo Yanez in the shooting of Philando Castile slated to begin on May 30, MPR News is presenting a limited podcast, beginning today. Titled “74 Seconds” to represent the time of the fatal traffic stop, the podcast will look at the story of these two men, how they came face to face and how the tragedy that unfolded in those 74 seconds became a story of race, policing, justice and safety in America. The story of Castile and Yanez is the story of police and the people they serve in the 21st century. [Side note:  APM Reports and Reveal teamed up for reporting around police de-escalation training a couple weekends ago.]This trial is the first of its kind in Minnesota and a rarity in the country. It will consist of five episodes and be hosted by MPR News reporters Jon Collins and Riham Feshir who have been covering the story since it began, and produced by Tracy Mumford and Hans Buetow. The team will provide weekly updates through the trial.“Through Riham’s and Jon’s reporting, we have brought Philando Castile and Jeronimo Yanez back to that moment of the traffic stop and the seven shots that were fired. This encounter had a lot in common with police shootings around the country including some in Minnesota,” says MPR News executive director Michael Edgerly. “Even the protests following Castile’s death had a familiar feeling. But there were some stark differences and these differences, for us, created the opportunity for some longer form story-telling that, in the end, we hope will create a greater understanding of race and policing in the country.”Episodes are available daily throughout this week and once a week during the trial. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever podcasts are available. Audio is also available at 74seconds.org.Official podcast description:74 Seconds tells the story of a July 2016 traffic stop that ended with the world watching a man die, live on their phones. This is the story of that man, Philando Castile, and the officer who is about to go on trial for his death, Jeronimo Yanez. Through comprehensive reporting, MPR News examines this intersection of race, policing, justice and safety in America. A lot can happen in 74 seconds.Follow the podcast and coverage here:Twitter: https://twitter.com/74secondsMPRFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/74secondswww.74seconds.org